It wasn’t until I clicked the ‘publish’ button on a blog post announcing some winners in a giveaway event I’d held that something really wonderful struck me.

The sponsors I’d worked with had generously agreed to double their prizes so that winning readers would have an opportunity to select a rescue shelter to also receive a prize.

In the big announcement, I’d included all the shelter names and logos. These weren’t huge prizes – a kitty lounger for one shelter, a pet portrait to help with a fundraiser for another. A few shelters were going to receive a wand toy with dangly feathers. A wash of emotion overcame me as I thought about what a single toy could do.
It was Sunday afternoon in November, about two years ago, when I jumped into the car with an empty pet carrier. I was headed to the Animal Humane Society in Buffalo, Minnesota. There was someone very special I wanted to meet – a tiny orange kitten I’d found on Petfinder.com just hours before while lying in bed with my laptop.

The shelter volunteers introduced to me to “Jackson” and “Herbie.” They showed us into a quiet room and handed me a wand toy with a feather on it.

I sat on the floor, toy in hand, and invited them to come play. They jumped and flipped and twirled, everything was new and exciting to them. It was like they were giggling with delight. Or maybe that was me.

And yes, the thought of bringing them BOTH home was a serious consideration. There was another family visiting though and I could tell they really wanted to adopt one of the kittens.

After an hour or so, “Jackson” decided he’d had enough feather chasing. As I sat cross-legged on the floor, he hopped onto my lap, curled into a little ball and stretched his neck straight up high. Gazing right into my eyes, he purred with the sweetest of smiles. That was it. We found each other.

That play session at the shelter with the wand toy – it was a bonding experience I’ll never forget. And something that’s taught me no gift is too small. That wand toy brought me and my cat, now named Waffles, together forever. That little feather changed each of our worlds. I’ve got a sneaking suspicion a feather can change a lot of worlds.

If you would like to share your special cat’s story, or have an idea for a guest post, email the CWA editor, Layla Morgan Wilde at Layla@laylamorganwilde.com

I have followed Debbie’s excellent blog for years and almost feel like Waffles and Katie are family members. I even remember what a leap of faith that she and her husband took to bring a kitten home to Katie. We are all very glad she did!
I can attest to her generosity and devotion to shelter cats – she has been featuring cats waiting for adoption at PAWS in her wildly funny and creative Saturday TV spoofs.

Maggie, you are too kind. You’ve been a wonderful friend for so many years. I admire all the love and dedication you show not only your own kitties, but the shelter cats of PAWS. Thank you so much for helping me with the Cameo Cats and our TV spoofs! I’m lucky PAWS is a thousand-plus miles away or I’d have a townhouse full of cameo cats!

There is something about orange kitties. Especially when paired with black and white cats. A little bit of magic happens. The same thing that happens every time I read Debbie’s blog – I smile and there is no greater gift one person can give another than a smile.

I love orange and white kitties. When a stray cat had a litter, two of the kittens were orange and white. My husband had been telling me, “No more cats!” When I brought him to see the kittens, he fell in love with them. When I asked him which we could bring home, to my dismay, he said, “Both!” And that is how Peanut and Butter entered our lives and hearts.

Awww… what a sweet story! I hadn’t had a cat for a long time… had been moving around for my job every few months and just never really settled down. Then I married my ‘Gloman’ and though he’d never really shown much interest in wanting a cat, he surprised me by bringing home a sweet little tuxedo kitten he had adopted for me. Just a few years later, he was also the one that suggested I start writing in Katie’s voice. I sure married the right guy!

This is such a sweet story. Bonding, however it happens when you find each other, is one of those moments you never forget. (Now you have me wondering about Herbie. Ever thought about asking if the shelter could contact his humans for a followup?)

Living with my own naughty orange terror, I love how you capture his Waffles’ irrepressible, redheaded personality, and I always look forward to hearing what kind of mischief he has gotten into this time.

I haven’t though of contacting them… that sure would be fun! Herbie was such a cutie too. In the end, it was Waffles who decided he wanted to curl up in my lap. When he stretched his neck so he could look straight up and into my eyes, that was it. I melted. Thank you so much for your kind words about my blog… and the orange terror. ; )